PolGov Reviewer department, bureau, offices in
regional & local level
3 Principles of Governance
1. Separature of Power
3 Main Branches
 Executive – President, VP
 Legislative
o Upper – Senate
o Lower – House of Reps
o amend, alter, make laws
 Judiciary
o Supreme Court
o Interpret laws
- They exercise separate powers
2. Check and Balance
Since the powers are balanced, they can check
others.
Ex.
o Veto Power – declining a bill passed by
legislative branch to executive branch
o With 2/3 votes from both houses
(legislative), they can overwrite veto
power of the president, meaning
reconsideration.
o Martial Law from president without
approval from other branch.
3. Decentralization of Powers
Sharing of powers to Bureau’s, offices, local
government.
3 Forms
1. Devolution – transfer of political
power from national government to
local government.
2. Deconcentration – transfer of admin
power from national government to
3. Debureaucratization – private
individual , people, organization,
non-government organizations or the
civil society are given chance to
participate in governance
1987 Constitution of the Philippines
Article 6 – Legislative Branch
 Bicameral
o Upper House – Senate
 Senators
o Lower House – House of Rep
 Representatives
o Both are Congressmens
 24 Senators – to be elected by majority of
voters
o Reqs:
 Natural-born citizen
 At least 35 yrs old
 Literate
 Registered voter
 Resident of ph 2 years prior to
election day
o Term: 6 years, max: 2 terms
 200 district reps, 50 partylist
o Reqs:
 Natural-born citizen
 At least 25 yrs old
 Literate
 Registered voter
 Resident of ph 1 year prior to
election day
o Term: 3 years, max: 3 terms
 Privileges
o Privilege from arrest
o Privilege of speech and debate
Article 7 – Executive Branch
 President and Vice-President
o Reqs:
 Natural-born citizen
  At least 40 yrs old
 Literate
 Registered voter
 Resident of ph 10 years prior
to election day
o Term: 6 years, no re-election
o Election: Regular, Special
o Reqs for Vice-President is same but
VP can run for 2 consecutive terms
 Presidential Succession
o Occuring before the term
o Occuring mid-term
 Powers of the President
o Executive Power – power to
administer laws
o Power of Appointment – may appoint
official of the gov
o Power of Removal – remove his
appointees without approval from
legislature
o Power of Control – alter, modify,
nullify, set aside what an officer had
done
o Military Power – command AFP,
suspend habeas corpus, martial law
o Pardoning Power – relief from
criminal contempt penalties
o Borrowing Power – contract foreign
loans for PH
o Diplomatic Power – may deal with
foreign states and govs
o Budgetary Power – submit a budget
to congress of expenditures and
sources of finance
o Informing Power – address congress
at opening of its regular session
o Other Powers:
 Call the Congress to special
session
 Consent the deputization of
gov personnel by the
ComElec
 Approve or veto bills
 Disciple its deputies
 Exercise emergency and tariff
powers
Article 8 – Judiciary Branch
 Judiciary Power
o to interpret laws
o represented by supreme court (final
arbiter)
o enjoys fiscal autonomy
 Supreme Court
o 1 chief justice
o 14 associate justices
o Reqs:
 Natural born citizen
 40 yrs age
 Practice law for 15 yrs
 For lower court judges,
natural-born citizenship is not
necessary
o Final decision maker
o Highest court of the land
o Classes:
 Constitutional Court
 Statutory Courts
 Regular
 Special
 Powers of Judiciary
o Settle disputes concerning consuls
or diplomats
o Petition for Certiorari – transmit of
record to superior court for review
o Prohibition – stops the lower court to
stop proceedings / negative remedy
o Mandamus – order the lower court to
perform a certain act / positive
remedy
o Quo Warranto – stops the operation
of a business establishment because
they cannot explain the source of
their assets
o Habeas Corpus – produce a body
make a person appear to the court
 o Automatic review of cases sentence
by lower court with reclusion
perpetua or death penalty
 Appointment
o Members of supreme court (SC) and
judges of lower courts shall be
appointed by the pres from a list of 3
nominees
 En Banc Session – 15 judges,
constitutionality issues
 Exclusive jurisdiction on foreign diplomats
or ambassadors
 Appoints temporary judges for 6 months
 Appoints lower staff and employees
 Sole power to order for a change of venue
of a trial
 policy-determined position
(must have expertise e.g
cabinet sec)
 primarily confidential position
(must have the trust and
confidence e.g. private sec)
 highly technical position (must
have a superior degree of
skills and knowledge e.g.
scientist, economist, etc.
 Commission on Elections (COMELEC)
o 3 membership
 Commission on Audit (COA)
o 7 membership

Article 9 – Constitutional Commissions

 Civil Service Commission (CSC)

o 3 membership (chairman, 2
commisioners)
o Central personal agency of gov
o Incharge of giving disciplinary
actions uder the civil service rules
o To recruit, hire, appoint and promote
govt employees
o Grounds:
 oppression
 misconduct
 neglect of duty
 disgraceful/immoral conduct
 habitual drunkiness
 being notoriously undersirable
 lending money
 subordination
 nepotism
 practice of profession w/o
proper

o Career Employess (based on merit

and fitness)
o Non-Career Employees (much
higher qualifications)